Elevator and Stairs – there is a passenger elevator to take up to our venue, located on the third and top floor of our building; also stairs are available

Parking – If guests are staying at downtown Chicago hotels, we recommend taking taxi/uber/lyft - generally $10 / 10-20 minutes from most hotels. For driving guests, there are several free side streets, metered main streets (you can pay meters remotely from your smartphone using the app https://parkchicago.com/), and there is a public garage at the apartment complex at Milwaukee/Morgan. Event hosts may want to consider booking a valet or shuttle bus company as a convenience for your guests.

F.A.Q.

1. What is included with your standard rental fees?

rental of the loft space for the amount of time specified for your event, plus sufficient set-up/clearning time

2. Does Creativo Loft provide catering, furniture or rentals (tables, chairs, etc.)?Creativo Loft includes banquet tables and white wood padded chairs with the standard rental fee. Upgraded alternate chairs and specialty tables may be added. Creativo Loft has a variety of options for linen rentals. Generally the catering company you hire separately from our venue will manage rentals for table settings and other service equipment, but we can also make these arrangements, if needed, with additional fees.

3. Can we bring in our own alcohol and food?Creativo Loft does not permit any self-catered events. A licensed and insured professional catering company must be hired for food and alcohol service. Any special arrangements for BYO need to be made with your chosen catering company regarding supplying your own alcohol for their staff to serve. If the caterer allows you to bring your own alcohol, you are also responsible for taking out any unused alcohol at the end of your event. The venue and caterer is NOT responsible for your left over alcohol. Anything that is left behind will be disposed of at the end of the event.

4. Are we required to use the vendors listed as your recommended professionals?No, but all vendors working in the space need to have business liability insurance. Catering companies must have insurance and licensing required by the city. Caterers not on our recommended list must be pre-approved in advance. If drop-off or limited catering is used, we will require having us hire adequate staffing for your event with supplemental fees.

5. What is parking like in the area?There are several free streets around the building, and within a few blocks walking distance. Meter parking on the main streets is $2/hour. With the Park Chicago app, meters may be paid remotely from a smartphone. A public parking garage is nearby at Milwaukee/Morgan for $2.35/hour. We are a short cab ride from most downtown hotels, and literally steps from the CTA Blue Line train public transit. We recommend taking taxi/uber/lyft from downtown hotels. Valet or shuttle companies may also be hired separately.

6. Are there any other services Creativo Loft can provide?Yes, our loft is also home to Wedding Creativo Photography studio, and we offer in-house event planning services. Special all-inclusive packages are available, or may be customized specifically for your event.

7. Can I plug in my ipad/ipod/laptop to use for music?Although we recommend hiring a professional DJ, you may use our in-house sound system with your own programmed playlists, or you may choose from our existing playlists. Please ask Sarah for more information.

8. Can we have both wedding ceremony and reception there?Yes, our loft space can accommodate ceremony and reception for up to 74 people, with minimal to no room change with banquet style seating for both the ceremony and reception. Row seating for ceremonies, with a brief room adjustment after to move banquet tables into place, is possible when there is no more than 40 people.

9. Can we just have the wedding ceremony there, but no reception?Yes, but availability is limited, and a minimum rental fee of $2500 is required on Saturdays. Supplemental chair rental fees are needed for groups larger than 30 people. Maximum ceremony row seating up to 112, plus standing wedding party up to 10.

10. Can we schedule a viewing over the weekend?We are generally available to schedule viewing appointments Monday through Friday between 11:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. As a small venue, and small business with one manager, we are not available for viewings or meetings during our clients' events on weekend dates.

About Us

Specializing in small weddings, elopements and intimate private parties, Creativo Loft is a genuinely unique option for events in Chicago. We are more than just a venue. We also offer all-inclusive service package options, which are popular for most of our clients looking for all-in-one or one-stop-shop solutions for their wedding or party planning.

What does that mean specifically? Renting our venue comes with many built-in perks. Venue owners Giorgio and Sarah have over 40 years combined experience as event professional. Venue manager / co-owner Sarah is also an event coordinator, ceremony officiant, graphic designer and photographer. Her partner Giorgio is a world-class wedding and commercial photographer. Our venue service packages are specialized to meet the needs of smaller weddings and events.

Our maximum capacity for weddings 74 with room included for dancing. For a seated banquet without dancing, we can seat up to 84. For standing cocktail parties our maximum standing capacity is 120. For ceremony-only weddings (no reception) we can seat up to 112 in rows.

Creativo Loft is a 3000 s.f. creative loft space located on the top floor of the historic Baer's Hall building. We are geographically in the heart of Chicago at the intersection of Chicago Ave & Milwaukee Ave. Our building turns 130 years old in 2017. An early Chicago fashion industry family originally owned it. They established our building in 1887. Our loft still has the original hard wood floors, and original tin ceilings, which are 16-ft tall. We have 12 giant windows facing north-east. They give us an abundance of natural daylight, and fantastic city views highlighted with a great view of the landmark John Hancock Building on Michigan Ave., which is about 2 miles east of Creativo Loft.

So, with our one-of-a-kind space, combined with our service capabilities, we believe that Creativo Loft offers a very specialized and wholly unique option in Chicago for couples planning small weddings and elopements. Our couples and other clients come to us from all over too, not just locally. We are equally adept with working with couples in the Chicago area, and also those planning from a far.

Creativo Loft is a commission-free venue, so there are no fees paid by caterers to us for referrals, and clients may work with caterers not on our list.

Location

ADDRESS:

1105 W. Chicago Ave., Chicago, IL 60642

Manager Contact: Sarah Toulouse (773) 563-0116

We are in the southwest corner red brick building at the intersection of Chicago/Milwaukee. There is a fantastic coffee shop on the first floor of our building, Big Shoulders Coffee, and they have a large sign hanging on the corner over their entrance. Our main entrance is just to the right of the coffee shop.

PARKING: several free side streets, meter parking on the main streets is $2/hour (free on Sundays); public parking garage is nearby at Milwaukee/Morgan is $2.35/hour.

If you are in planning stages, referrals for valet and shuttle companies are also available.

We are in the River West neighborhood (and also West Town and Noble Square - depending on who you ask), which is adjacent to downtown Chicago.

Kennedy I-94 exits: If you are driving north, exit at 49-B Augusta/Milwaukee. If you are driving south exit at 50-A Racine/Ogden. The Division St. exit is also okay and has off ramps in both directions.